Sweet Potato Latke

Traditional or Non-traditional, latke is a wonderful accompaniment to any meal. Sweet Potato Latke fried in oil on the last day of Hanukkah has been a family custom to double the sweetness for us of the tradition of the miracle of the oil.

Done well, it can be the meal itself and in our home, often is: traditional @ breakfast with

Sweet Potato LatkeSweet Finish for Hanukkah

eggs, applesauce and sour cream. While potato latke is that with which we all are most familiar, there is no law that says they must be made from potatoes. Potatoes are simply economical and readily available.

The secret to great potato latkes is starch: the starchier the potato batter, the crisper the latke.

The Recipe Serves 8

Ingredients

3 large sweet potatoes (approx 1 lb.)

1/2 cup finely chopped scallion (white and green parts thinly sliced

3 tablespoons potato starch (all purpose flour may be substituted)

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1 tsp each, salt and white pepper

1/2 tsp. each, ginger, cardamom, cloves

1/2 + 1/4 cup olive oil (not extra virgin)

Serve with traditional sides: sour cream and applesauce

Preparation

Preheat oven to 250°F.

Peel potatoes and coarsely grate (I prefer the large slots of a large box grater) by hand, transferring to a large bowl of cold water as grated. Soak potatoes 1 to 2 minutes after last batch is added to water, then drain well in a colander.

Spread grated potatoes in a thin layer on a kitchen towel and roll to dry well. Transfer potato mixture to a bowl and stir in scallion, egg and seasoning. Mix well.

Drizzle and toss with 1/2 cup olive oil until potatoes are evenly coated.

Add starch (flour and mix well)

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a 12-inch cast iron skillet until hot but not smoking.

Fry in batches of 4 latkes: spoon 2 tablespoons potato mixture per latke into skillet, spreading into 3-inch rounds with a fork.

Reduce heat to medium and cook until skillet-sided latke are browned, about 5 minutes. Flip latkes to brown undersides, about 5 minutes more.

Transfer to paper towels to drain and season with salt. Add more oil to skillet as needed, a tablespoon at a time.